Beyond Exposure to Outdoor Nature: Exploration of the Benefits of a Green Building’s Indoor Environment on Wellbeing

Abstract

Most research exploring the psychological benefits of the natural environment has focused on direct exposure to the outdoors. However, people spend most of their time indoors, particularly in office buildings. Poor employee mental health has become one the most prevalent and costly occupational health issues. The integration of high quality environmental features (e.g., access to sunlight) in green-certified office buildings offers a superior work environment. These nature-based experiences are anticipated to provide beneficial outcomes to wellbeing. This study is the first to empirically investigate these benefits. Participants in a green (LEED gold certified) office building (N = 213) in Canada completed an assessment of environmental features, measures of hedonic, eudaimonic and negative wellbeing (NWB) and assessments of psycho-environmental potential, environmental behaviors and social belonging. Linear regression analyses confirmed the benefits of indoor environmental features for all aspects of wellbeing. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the effect of specific indoor environmental features on wellbeing. We explored physical features (e.g., air quality, light), and social features (e.g., privacy), as well as windows to the outside. Results suggest that physical features are important in promoting hedonic wellbeing, while social features prevent NWB. Both features equally predicted eudaimonic wellbeing (EWB). A view to the outside was positively correlated to wellbeing, although it did not uniquely predict it after accounting for other environmental features. Path analyses revealed the importance of person-environment fit, pro-environmental behavior and social belonging in mediating the association of indoor environmental features with hedonic and EWB. The results suggests that, by fostering person-environment fit, pro-environmental behaviors and feeling of community in a high quality setting, green buildings may lead to benefits on an array of wellbeing dimensions. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Association between indoor-outdoor green features and psychological health during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: A cross-sectional nationwide study

“…We found that the presence of indoor plant pots was associated with a lower increase in anger, fear, irritability, and sleep disturbance during the lockdown. These results are of considerable importance for the extension of previous literature on health conditions in the living environment, such as the home and workplace ( Dreyer et al, 2018 ). For example, the presence of plants in working environments seems to reduce perceived stress and, in general, to promote positive emotions and reduce negative feelings ( Han, & Ruan, 2019 ).…”

Fostering Cultures of Sustainability in a Multi-Unit Office Building: A Theory of Change

“…Finding this dialectic is contended to be a prerequisite of sustainability. Thus, it is imperative to understand the role of building citizens and other stakeholders (individuals) and (organizational) structures in working toward the sustainability goals of HPBs; especially in office buildings where employees often spend a third of their day ( Dreyer et al, 2018 ). Thus, a theory of change intended to foster sustainability within this context ought to consider these complexities.…”

“…It refers to all that we mean when we talk about values and norms, rituals and traditions, symbols and language (both textual and visual), and practices. Values form the underlying base and practices, rituals and language are the experiential manifestation of those values ( Hofstede et al, 1990 ; Dreyer et al, 2018 ). Fundamentally, cultures are a dynamic of human relationships ( Worts, 2011 ).…”

Effects of biophilic interventions in office on stress reaction and cognitive function: A randomized crossover study in virtual reality

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“…First, the environmental exposure had often been based on a simplistic "nature/ green" versus "built/lean" dichotomy. 35 Unresolved is how specific natural elements affect occupants' health and well-being. Second, little is known about whether natural elements would have similar effects in different workspaces.…”